BV game last night. First quarter. I'm center, right in front of home student section. Student section, at least at a glance, appears to be all-White. Both teams are mixed race. When visitor's point guard receives a pass in front of the student section (and me), I hear a fan behind me say: "Hey, orangutan man!"

My question is: what is the appropriate way to handle something like this? (What did I do? At the next dead ball, I went to the A.D. who was standing at that end of the court, told him what I heard, told him that I didn't know which student said it, asked him to handle it, and told him that if I heard anything more (that was derogatory) I'd clear out enough of the student section to be sure that the offender was among the departed. While we put the ball back in play, the A.D. did go over to the student section and my partners and I never heard anything else.)

Should I have blown my whistle immediately upon hearing the remark? That certainly would have drawn a lot of attention to it -- perhaps that's what was needed.... Should I have tried to find out (or had the A.D. find out) exactly who made the remark and not continued the game until that offender had been removed from the gym? Even though I had the situation "handled," how does the visiting team's point guard know that? Don't I owe him the knowledge that he will be protected, as best we can, by the officials? What if he (PG) didn't hear the original comment? Should I say something to visiting team's coach? Both coaches?

What I did, I think, was what drew the least amount of attention to the situation (and to us, as officials), without ignoring it. I imagine that there will be a variety of opinions on how to handle situations like this. I am looking for thoughtful opinions on how you might have handled it so that if I ever find myself in a similar situation, I might fulfill my responsibities even better.

If I knew exactly who it was, they would of been gone at that second. However, since you didn't know who it was, you probably did the right thing by going to the AD and letting him handle it.

IMO, you handled it just right.
You advised the game management, and you afforded them the oportunity to do their job...which it sounds like they did.

You could blow your whistle and make a "big deal" out of it...but, IMO that could cause more embarrassment to the player and his/her family in the stands.

Now, don't get me wrong...racial slurs are a big deal...and should be handled properly. Again, it sounds like you handled it just right.


[Edited by RookieDude on Jan 19th, 2005 at 09:01 AM]

I wouldn't blow a play dead to tell game management, but I also would walk right over to game management at the next dead ball no matter where they were in the gym. You handled it correctly.

I think you did it just right.

BGTG19, are you sure he wasn't talking about YOU?? We all know how more idiotic the fans are becoming these days...and it isn't getting any better! Perhaps the students were talking about the referees!

You did what I do. I had a 8th boys game a few weeks back. On a free throw I hear "Shoot the mother f*&$#ng ball" from the student section. I didn't look up because I knew I couldn't identify the voice. At the dead ball went and got the teacher who was the game manager that night to tell the entire section if I heard anything ike that gaain I was going to clear the whole section. The teacher took care of it. They were very quiet and tried to look so innocent the rest of the night.

Having said that, if I heard a racial slur and knew where it came from and knew it was directed a specific player I'd stop the game with an official's time out and have the jerk tossed immediately!